Man Arrested In Connection With Fatal Drug Overdose In Stamford: Officials

STAMFORD, CT — A New York City man has been arrested and charged in connection with three fatal drug overdoses, including the death of a Stamford man, according to an announcement from federal officials.

Elvin Vila, 50, of the Bronx, N.Y., was charged in a complaint that was unsealed on Tuesday, officials said.

Vila is charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and three counts of distribution of narcotics resulting in death.

"As a result of more than a million tragedies, we all have learned a simple and deeply disturbing truth: if you deal in fentanyl, you deal in death," said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in an announcement. "As alleged, Elvin Vila sold fentanyl that killed three people, and he kept dealing even after his customers died from overdoses. He now faces justice."

According to the complaint and materials submitted to court, officials said Vila was the leader of a drug-trafficking conspiracy and drove from the Bronx on "dozens of occasions" to other locations to sell fentanyl to his customers.

One of Vila's customers, a 57-year-old Stamford man, died on or about April 16, 2025, from a drug overdose, officials said.

In the month leading up to the man's death, Vila drove to sell drugs to him at least 10 times, officials said.

Several days after their last meeting, Vila sent the man several text messages asking if he was "good" or "OK," officials said.

Despite not receiving a response because the man had died, Vila continued selling fentanyl, ultimately resulting in the death of two additional people, officials said.

Approximately one day after his last unanswered text message to the Stamford victim, Vila delivered drugs to a 69-year-old man from Port Chester, N.Y., who shared them with a 32-year-old woman, also from Port Chester, officials said.

The woman died from a drug overdose on or about April 25, 2025, officials said.

Vila continued to supply drugs to the 69-year-old man, including in early January of this year, officials said. The man then died of a drug overdose on or about Jan. 21.

On June 4, authorities searched Vila’s house in the Bronx pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant.

Among other things, the search found suspected narcotic powders; narcotics mixing and stamping equipment; numerous glassine envelopes for individual packaging; and a safe containing a gun, cash, and a ski mask, officials said.

Vila was scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein on Wednesday. Vila's charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.

Officials thanked the Port Chester Police Department, the Stamford Police Department, and the New York State Police for assisting in the case.